A common trap with visions is choosing things you think other people want for you, not what you want for yourself.

Some people choose things because they think their family will be more proud of them, even though it would make them miserable.

Many people who grew up in religious backgrounds feel like if they aren’t selling everything and serving the poor they are bad people. Any appeal to their happiness feels selfish.

Others are concerned that by choosing big, bold visions, their friends (or partners) will make fun of them.

Many MBA students think they have to “make a dent in the universe,” which typically means creating a startup worth a billion dollars. But if they’re honest, all they really want is a house, to put their kids through college, and enough money to go on some trips. There are much easier ways to get this than building a startup.

If you choose visions for reasons that you think you should want, you’re unlikely to stick with them. So ask yourself what you actually want.